Pile-driver.



PATENTED APR. 19, 1904.

J. H. HOPKINS.

PILE DRIVER.

APPLICATION FILED sum. so, 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N0 MODEL.

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PATENTED APR. 19, 1.904.

J. H. HOPKINS.

PILE DRIVER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 30,1903.

N0 MODEL.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented April 19, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. HOPKINS, OF PUNXSUTAVVNEY, PENNSYLVANIA.

PILE-DBIVER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 757,926, dated April 19, 1904.

Application filed September 39, 1903 Serial No. 175,143. (No model.)

1'0 tall whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN H. HOPKINS, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Punxsutawney, in the county of J efierson and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pile- Drivers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in pile-drivers; and the object of the invention is to provide a device.

of this character in which the actuating or controlling engine for the ram is also employed for the moving of the device along the track on which it is mounted and for the rotating of the platform on its truck to bring the ram into any desired position.

Briefly described, the invention embodies a truck upon which the rotary platform is mounted, this rotary platform having the engine, the cable-drums, and the guides for the ram thereon. On the bed of the truck is a circular rack, and the rotary platform carries a pinion to mesh with this rack,bevel-gears and a chain connecting the shaft of thepinion up to the shaft of one of the drums on the platform. A gearing is also provided which connects the axle of another of the drum-shafts with one of the axles of the truck, whereby to propel the truck along the track, and means is provided for disengaging the gearing, whereby to permit operation of the ram when desired.

All of the above construction will be hereinafter more specifically described and then particularly pointed out in the claims, and in describing the invention in detail reference will be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and wherein like numerals of reference will be employed for indicating like parts throughout the different views of the drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved pile-driver. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of a part of the mechanism involving the gear ing for rotating the platform. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the pile-driver with the supporting-beams for the ram broken away. Fig. 4: is a detail perspective view of a part of the on the axle 2 passes a chain 18.

mechanism involving the gearing for propel ling the pile-driver. Fig. 5 is a similar view of another part of the said mechanism.

To put my invention into practice, I provide a truck-body 1, supported on axles 2 3, having suitable wheels 4 thereon to travel on the rails 5 of a suitable track. On the bed of this truck is mounted a circular rack 6, which is or may be provided with a way or track outside the teeth of said rack to permit the.

travel thereon of a small wheel or roller 7 carried by the rotatable platform 8. The platform may be made rotatable on the truck in any desirable or suitable manner, a con-' venient method employed by me being the employment of a fifth-wheel between'the two parts, comprising a plate 9, carried by the platform, and a plate 10, mounted centrally on the truck, the plate 9 being rotatable on the plate 10. Ashaft 11 passes centrally through these two plates and acts as a kingbolt and is provided on its upper end with a bevel-gear 12 and on its lower end with a bevel-gear 14:. J ournaled in the truck-body is a shaft 15, on one endof which is a bevelgear 16 to mesh with the bevel-gear 1 1. Also mounted on this shaft 15 is a sprocket-wheel 17, over which and over a sprocket-wheel 19 Meshing with the bevel-gear 12 is a bevel-gear 20, mounted on the one end of a shaft 21, suitably journaled in the platform, and this shaft 21 also carries a sprocket-wheel 22, over which passes a chain 23, also engaging a sprocket 24, carried on the end of the shaft of drum 25. A clutch 26,controlled by lever 27, is provided, whereby the drum 25 may be operated independently of the driving mechanism just described. It will be observed that when the clutch is engaged and the engine started, so as to rotate drum 25, (it being understood that the several drums shown areconnected together in the usual manner by gearing,) the device will be propelled forward through the medium of chain 23, shaft 21, bevel-gears 2O 12, shaft 11, gears 14. 16, shaft 15, and chain 18, driving-axle 2 by engagement with sprocket-wheel19. In order to rotate the platform on the truck, I provide a shaft 28, which is mounted in suitable brackets 29, at-

tached to the underneath side of the platform, and on this shaft 28 I mount a pinion 30 for engagement with the circular rack 6. On one end of the shaft 28 is mounted a bevel pinion or gear 31, which meshes with a like pinion or gear 32, carried by a shaft 33, that is suitably mounted in brackets 34:, (only one shown, secured to the underneath side of the platform. The shaft 33 also carries a sprocketwheel 35, which is engaged by a chain 36, that passes over a sprocket 37, carried on the end of the shaft of drum 38. An ordinary clutch 39 and controlling-lever 40 are provided, whereby the drum may be operated without driving-chain 36. It will be observed that when the clutch is engaged and engine is started (clutch 26 being of course disengaged) that the driving of drum 38 actuates chain 36, driving shaft .33 and through the medium of bevel pinions or gears 32 31 driving shaft 28 winds on the drums and passes over a guidepulley 41, supported in the upright guides 42 for the ram. These uprights 42 are carried on supporting-beams 43, extending under the platform, so that the weight of the engine is over the supporting-beams In these supporting-beams is mounted a shaft 44:, on which is a pulley45 for the cable 40, as in the usual manner. As is the general practice, I also employ suitable braces 46 L7 and rods 48. The connection from engine .50 to the drums is the usual form.. It will be seen that by this construction I am enabled to move the pile-driver forward or backward, so as to bring the ram into position for driving the pile, and also to swing or rotate the platform on the truck, so

as to move the ram to either side of the truck as may be desired, and thereby greatly facilitate the work of driving thepiles.

While I have herein shown and described a practical embodiment of my invention as it is practiced by me, yet it Will be evident that various changes may be made in the details of construction Without departing from the general spirit of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A device of the type set forth comprising a supporting-truck with a platform mounted to rotate on the truck, plates carried by the truck and by the platform with a shaft passing through the two, and having beveled gear- Wheels arranged on its extremities, a shaft journaled in the truck and carrying a pinion meshing with the lower of said pinions and having a sprocket on its other end with a chain passing thereover, and a sprocket on one of the truck-axles over which said chain also passes, a driving-ram carried by the platform and means operated by the other of the said first-named pinions for operating the ram.

2. A device of the'type set forth comprising a truck having a circular rack thereon, a plate on the truck with a platform on the truck also having a plate'seating on the first-named plate, a shaft passing through said plates and carrying pinions on its ends, means operated by the lower of said pinions for driving the truck, a driving-ram on 'the platform and means operated by the upper of the said pinions to operate said ram.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of'two witnesses.

" JOHN H. HOPKINS.

Witnesses:

H. C. EVERT, K. H. BUTLER. 

